After some rumination, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) engineers have decided to open the new COSMIX-built I-25 northbound lane between
Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road after all.
The uncertainty had involved possible safety hazards as a result of motorists dropping the lane and then having to slow down as they enter another COSMIX work
area (the Rockrimmon Boul-evard/Nevada Avenue segment).
The final paving work just needs to be completed by Rockrimmon Constructors (CDOT's contractor for the COSMIX I-25 widening project). Depending on
weather, the anticipated opening date for the new southbound and northbound lanes is Aug. 10, according to Bill Badger of Rockrimmon Constructors.
Ultimately, CDOT's decision to open the additional northbound lane was spurred by public demand, Badger said. “There have been a number of public comments
from people - 'When are you going to open the third lane?'” As a result, “CDOT figured, 'Why not? Let's see how it goes.'”
The only hold-up now is the weather. The work has to be done at night, because of project requirements disallowing daytime lane closures, and the final pavement
overlay cannot be poured if temperatures sneak below the minimum level of 50 degrees. That actually happened about a month ago on the northbound overlay. More
recently, “the rain hasn't helped much,” Badger said
Each overlay “pass” (approximately one lane wide) requires three straight nights of temperatures above 50, he added.
After the final overlay, crews will still need to stripe the lanes, then install street lights and median guardrails, Badger said.
When the work is done, the third lane northbound will become available at Fillmore (continuing the three lanes that currently exists to that point) and will be lost at the
off-ramp for Garden of the Gods Road. Going south, the new lane will be added at the Garden of the Gods overpass and continue that way through Colorado
Springs.